If you live in New Zealand, McDonalds is offering you an incentive to eat at their restaurants: They'll give you fuel discounts that you can use at your local Mobil Station. Sound like a pretty good deal? Well, this 'good deal' is not going over well down under, particularly with the Obesity Action Coalition -- they feel this kind of promotion is encouraging unhealthy habits and ultimately obesity.

They have one major problem with this offer in particular: The deal is only available if you order a big mac, fries, soda and an apple pie. It's not available on salads or other healthy fare. This meal works out to a whopping 1347 calories and 64 g of fat, so let's be honest here -- whoever eats this should leave the car at home and do a bit --or a lot -- of walking.

Your thoughts?

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'I'll take you on vacation if you quit smoking,' I told Jon a few months ago. An incredibly stressful situation at work lead to him taking up the habit again, much to my chagrin. And I've been doing what I can to get him to quit again, but to no avail. 'Thanks, but I have to do it for myself if it's going to last.' he tells me.

And the infuriating thing about it all? He's completely right. According to recent research, bribing smokers with incentives and prizes if they quit doesn't work, especially in the long run. So what does work? Social support, buddy systems and nicotine replacement therapies all have better success rates.

What made you quit? Or what's kept you from quitting?

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Money talks, and that's true for weight loss also. A new study has shown that people will lose weight for money, even if it's just a little. The best use of this information may not be for you to necessarily reward yourself at home (although if that works then go for it!) but for your employer to offer you incentives at work. Obviously having healthy employees benefits business in many ways, so by offering money to staff with healthy habits and weight loss everybody wins.

Apparently there are more studies in the works to find what the best dollar amounts are and if results and incentives work in the long term. How much would it take for you to lose weight? Honestly, any amount would encourage me (considering it's something I want to do anyway) but the more the better!

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